Five must-see features at the Calgary Home + Garden Show

How much living space do you truly need? You’ll be pondering this question as the Calgary Home and Garden show returns to BMO Centre and Corral at Stampede Park March 1–4. The show is set to bring hundreds of exhibitors, and an incredible roster of HGTV Canada celebrities, local designers and garden experts – plus a few features that tackle the topic of “right sizing,” or making the best use of small spaces for better living. Read on for five must-see show features.

1. Tiny Home Village

This year, it takes a village to present the show’s feature home. A Tiny Home Village, that is: four cute-as-a-button mobile homes designed and outfitted by Calgary-based Blackbird Tiny Homes, Teacup Tiny Homes, ZeroSquared and Big Hearts Tiny Homes. Show manager Teri Salazar expects big crowds to come and marvel at these homes’ creative use of space. “People are so curious about the tiny home trend,” says Salazar. “It’s really fascinating to look into the homes and realize that a family can live in these spaces. And the families who do live in these spaces are quite happy.”

The showâs star-studded line-up includes Carson Arthur, landscape designer and host of HGTVâs Home to Win.Supplied

2. The Urban Barn Home + Garden Stage presented by Golden Acre and the Calgary Herald

HGTV Canada’s Love It or List It Vancouver star Todd Talbot recently moved into a smaller home with his family, so his talk on the Urban Barn Home + Garden Stage will focus on home size (there’s that “right sizing” theme again), while Tiffany Pratt of HGTV Canada’s Home to Win offers ideas on how to achieve affordable luxury by mixing high and low decor finds and DIY projects into your current living space.

“She talks about creatively combining high and low cost decor items, along with how to tackle some budget-friendly and fun DIY projects for the home,” says Salazar. The star-studded lineup will also feature Home to Win’s Carson Arthur, with tips on outdoor living, and Alberta-based gardening gurus Chelsie Anderson, Janet Melrose (“Calgary’s Cottage Gardener”) and Donna Balzer, author of No Guff Vegetable Gardening.

3. Retro Renewal

Grandma’s old credenza is trendy again, and so are thrift-store finds! In this feature area, you’ll find 600 square feet of space that integrates retro items, patterns and textures, while maintaining a modern vibe overall; courtesy of Rosalyn Lazaruk of Wicket Blue Interiors.

Wicket Blue Interiors demonstrates how you can make your own urban garden retreat, no matter your design personality.Supplied

4. Sanctuary in The City

Four urban garden retreats, designed by Wicket Blue Interiors, demonstrate how to make the most of a sub-200-square-foot patio using plants, furniture, rugs, lighting and decor. “There are so many condos in Calgary. This is about how can you take your patio and make it your own, so that if you’re having people over, you can go out and enjoy that balcony space, instead of it just being a blank canvas,” says Salazar.

5. Canadiana Wine Lounge presented by Western Living

When you need a break from walking the show floor, this is the spot to chill, chow down and get in touch with your roots, courtesy of Canadiana design touches (think lumberjack chic) by WW Design Studio, paired with a menu of all-Canadian wines, cheeses and nibbles.